25 May 2011

Less is more with childcare

| johnboy
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Joy Burch has released some intriguing stats on childcare, which appear to show that better (or at least more compliant) childcare centres are cheaper.

The data found:

— The average cost of per day of long day childcare centres in the ACT that meet the new staff ratios is $76.91 (for 47 centres)

— The average cost of per day of long day childcare centres in the ACT that don’t meet the new staff ratios is $79.34 (for 59 centres)

— The average cost of private long day childcare centres in the ACT that meet the new staff ratios is $81.54 (for 9 centres)

— The average cost of private long day childcare centres in the ACT that don’t meet the new staff ratios is $81.67 (for 30 centres)

— The average cost of community-based long day childcare centres in ACT Government-owned accommodation that meet the new staff ratios is $78.10 (for 27 centres)

— The average cost of community-based long day childcare centres in ACT Government-owned accommodation that don’t meet the new staff ratios is $76.79 (for 25 centres)

— The average cost of community-based long day childcare centres in the ACT in private accommodation that meet the new staff ratios is $70.21 (for 11 centres)

— The average cost of COMMUNITY BASED long day childcare centres in the ACT in private accommodation that don’t meet the new staff ratios is $77.55 (for 4 centres)

— The cost per day of long day child care centres in the ACT in the top 30th percentile of qualified staff is $74.44 (for 32 centres)

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grunge_hippy2:05 pm 25 May 11

and this is why I have taken my daughter out of a centre and pay $60 cash in hand to a very lovely daycare mum. I dont get any rebate but I know that she is being cared for properly, she is being fed food i provide her and she is away from being bitten, catching every cold under the sun and being excluded when she has a runny nose or a rash that is not contagious. My eldest daughter also went from a daycare centre to family daycare and it was the best decision I ever made.

ABC learning centres set up a model for childcare which involved super cheap food, unqualified young staff and minimal staff ratios, while charging high fees (subsidised for many by the govt.)

This low cost business model is now firmly entrenched in the world of childcare.

It makes perfect sense that community run non-profit centres would be cheaper.

The minister is crazy though if she thinks this offers canberra families choices. the good centres with reasonable prices have waiting lists in the hundreds. The inner south centre costing nearly 100 a day, with sub optimal staff levels is the one you can get your kids into if you have just moved to canberra.

Erg0 said :

That would be another factor, for sure. I guess my point is that these numbers don’t really mean anything without context, and have been selected simply because they support a political position.

Hmmm, I think I just proved something that everyone already knows.

+1 indeed.

They talked about this on 666 this morning and it was mentioned that the figures don’t take into account extra services that may be offered, like meals, nappies, music or other programs, etc.

I so cannot stand meaningless stats!

That would be another factor, for sure. I guess my point is that these numbers don’t really mean anything without context, and have been selected simply because they support a political position.

Hmmm, I think I just proved something that everyone already knows.

“non-profits” still spend money on bosses’ wages

I’d have to think that there’s another relevant factor that’s been excluded from this analysis – the size of the centres, maybe? All other things being equal, it’s illogical that a community-based (non-profit) centre with more staff would cost less than one with fewer staff.

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